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Inside Access

Fans wait up to 7 hours to meet Neil Gaiman in Decatur

10:43 am December 15, 2009, by Jamie Gumbrecht

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The view from the balcony at the Neil Gaiman reading at Agnes Scott College on Dec. 14. AJC/Jamie Gumbrecht

UPDATE, 4:50 p.m. 12/15: Here’s Little Shop’s thank-you post for Neil Gaiman.

How devoted are Neil Gaiman’s Atlanta fans? Well, devoted enough to lure him here with  a fabulous party at Decatur’s Little Shop of Stories, devoted enough to stand in line for free tickets and devoted enough still to wait up to seven hours at Agnes Scott College to get his signature inside a book.

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Gaiman

I did not wait so long for a signature, but I was there last night, along with 1,000 or so people, for his reading. Gaiman is an unusually entertaining reader — yes, he does voices! — and even as he read from children’s books “Odd and the Frost Giants“and “The Graveyard Book,” it felt like storytime for grown-ups.

Which is good, considering that he signed the last book around 1:15 a.m., then caught an early flight to Winnipeg, where another store (and another giddy audience) waited.

Here’s some of what you missed if you weren’t there last night:

  • Gaiman was indeed delayed by yesterday’s overwhelming fog in Atlanta, but that seemed to be OK. “I really like the fog. Really good fog. I thought, ‘I wonder if they did it special for me.’”
  • “Coraline” was inspired by his daughter, Holly, who turned out “frighteningly normal,” but once was a solemn child who dictated stories about little girls whose mothers were replaced with evil people who were definitely not their mothers. Knowing what his daughter liked, Gaiman went to his local bookshop thinking, “I will go and find some really good horror for 5 year olds.” Except no, he wouldn’t, because it didn’t exist. So, he wrote it, and filled it with things Holly would love. He can’t, however, explain the button eyes. They’re there, but he has no idea what inspired it.
  • “The Graveyard Book” was something like a gothic version of “The Jungle Book.” It was inspired by his son, Mike, who is now a devoted bicycle rider, but many years ago, was  was just as devoted to his tricycle, regardless of where he was. As Gaiman explained it, “2 year old, tricycle, stairs, death.” Instead, Gaiman took his son to ride across the way, inside a cemetery, where nothing much could get in his way. He looked more at home there than you expect any boy to look, and there was the story. Still Gaiman put it off for decades, sensing that he wasn’t good enough to write it. “Round about 2004, I thought, ‘I’m not getting any better.’” He was, apparently, good enough.
  • Will he ever come back to Dragon*Con? “Oh, probably, eventually.” After a few  good rounds at the annual Atlanta conference, he had a run-in with poor organization — the kind that meant he had to stay in his room and wait around while cool things happened below. “They kept trying to present me with a lifetime achievement award, which they managed never to present to me.” (It showed up much later, although, being 39, it seemed a bit early.) Regardless, he said, “it may happen one day.”

The big lesson of the night, though, came from Little Shop of Stories co-owner Dave Shallenberger: “Amazon does not put Christmas trees on the roof, Barnes and Noble does not ask you to bring your dogs to story time and Borders does not bring Neil Gaiman to Atlanta.”

If you went, what were your favorite moments from the night? How long did you wait, and what did you talk about with Neil? Share in the comments!

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15 comments Add your comment

Neil Gaiman was GREAT!

December 15th, 2009
1:24 pm

The whole event was terrific and both Neil Gaiman and the Little Shop of Stories folks deserve great credit for making it a wonderful evening. As the parent of a kid needing to go to school today, I am very grateful to everyone who graciously let children get their books signed first.

Jamie Gumbrecht

December 15th, 2009
1:30 pm

That really was incredibly smart to bump the families up to the front of the line. It’s a small thing that made a huge difference. I appreciated that the Little Shop folks were honest about how long it would take, but know their audience well enough to keep the kiddos (and therefore, everyone) happy.

Jason

December 15th, 2009
1:50 pm

Sounds like a great event and good job Little Shop of Stories in making it happen.

Now, if Dave Shallenberger can drop his superior attitude about independent bookstores, it would be great.

My local B&N has “reading paws” where kids read to dogs – great little program.

And another B&N up the street from me is bringing my favorite author – Jasper Fforde – in January.

It also employs dozens of people (I’m guessing).

Can’t you just be happy that you had a great event without trying to diminish stores that others enjoy? There’s room enough for both.

Neil is a Literary Rock Star

December 15th, 2009
2:03 pm

Neil was warm, gracious, kind, entirely witty, wonderfully creative and enormously generous with his time – he spoke and read for nearly an hour and a half – followed by several hours of book signing!

Bravo Little Shop of Stories for all you did to bring him here, deep gratitude to Agnes Scot for hosting the multitudes, and many many thanks to Neil for making the trip! Decatur was greatly honored to have Neil visit.

Lena

December 15th, 2009
2:17 pm

I think props also should be given to the campus police at Agnes Scott. The officer who was in charge of hanging out with the line before the doors opened was downright friendly and joked around with the crowd. when they started allowing people (two at a time) to buy books or pick up will call tickets he kept it moving and organized so that there wasn’t a mad rush or people cutting the line. I’ve been to events where the “security” were rude and treated folks like cattle and this could not have been MORE different. It kept everyone who was standing in the cold and damp for hours in good spirits.

And to the previous commentor. Folks SHOULD be proud of independent bookstores having a moment to shine. Often times big chains may do little things for the community, but really they’re pushing out local businesses buy providing quantity instead of quality. Last night’s event was a triumph for indie booksellers because way too often big name authors don’t come to their stores because the bigger chains have more clout (and sadly more space). The spirit behind Neil’s appearance last night (as he himself said) was to give those underdogs a chance.

Jason

December 15th, 2009
2:56 pm

Hi Lena – There’s a difference between being “proud of independent bookstores” and insulting the competition. Everything was great until the co-owner insisted on trying to tear down others. That’s not cool in my book and I wish he could just be proud of the achievement without being dismissive of others. His comments are what turn the focus from a great appearance by a big-name author into something else completely.

Kar

December 15th, 2009
3:20 pm

If he goes to DC, it’s probably smarter for him to stay away from the cool stuff. He’d get mobbed very quickly in that group.

TB

December 15th, 2009
3:36 pm

Had a great time last night. Very glad that I lined up at about 3PM so I was able to leave before 10PM since I needed to catch MARTA. I estimated Neil might have had to stay until Midnight as I was leaving, but the fact that he stayed past 1AM is a reflection of the amazing respect and admiration he has for all of us fans. So much better than the Stephen King event at Barnes & Noble a few blocks away from me. I would have attended it and got his new book if I could get my comic book signed, and I was assured there would be no chance of getting anything signed but the new novel, so I stayed home. He only accommodated up to 400 people for his signing. Comparing that with Neil Gaman’s appearance really shows how remarkable and gracious Mr. Gaiman is. I’d been lucky enough to see him twice before (to much smaller crowds many years ago). It is amazing to see so many more people aware of who he is and so eager to meet him. I’m incredibly grateful as all of us should be to Little Shop of Stories for bringing him here. I wanted to show my appreciation and get a few books from them as my budget allowed. I was even able to buy a signed copy of American Gods and one of his Dave McKean illustrated children’s books on my way out. It was an incredible thing for Neil to offer this contest and, I’m sure an amazing boost in sales to a small independent bookstore. Arguing the merits of big book chains vs. independent ones really isn’t the point. The night was made possible by Little Shop of Stories and now we are all aware where they are and what a great little store they have. Considering his last appearance at DragonCon was in 2000 (I met him there too) and his recounting of the event, this might be the only time Neil Gaiman can come to the Atlanta area for quite awhile

Agnes Scott Student

December 16th, 2009
1:46 am

Wow! That was an event that one remembers their whole lifetime!
I have to say that I am proud to be a student at ASC and the fact that we consistently host great speakers like Garrison Keillor, Scott McCloud, Gwen Ifill and of course Neil Gaiman says a lot about the huge value that this little school brings to the Metro area.

I really don’t think Neil’s appearance was about big guys vs little guys. But I definitely feel that there is an inherent truth somewhere in this moral about how ASC and LSOS hosted this luminary and not Georgia State and Borders. Watch Michael Moore’s 1997 masterpiece “The Big One” and you’re sure to become a little sympathetic to the Davids as they stand up to the Goliaths.

To everyone who was there – thanks for being so friendly and chipper.

Thanks to those ASC police officers who stood in the rain for hours directing traffic (at night).

Thanks to LSOS – you guys worked really hard and it showed.

Lastly, thanks to Neil Gaiman for choosing a Georgia “back water” to be the recipient of his own special brand of sunshine!!! Keep writing them and we’ll keep reading them.

Megs

December 17th, 2009
9:38 am

As someone who works at Barnes and Noble I do feel insulted by the owner’s remarks. I’m so glad that Neil Gaiman visited his bookstore. I wish I had been able to attend, but the owner’s remarks were unnecessary. Some need to remember that corporations employ people, and that we are proud of our jobs. I don’t presume to say that our store is better than this independent store, but I would say that I have just as much pride in the store I work as he must have in his. I appreciate Neil Gaiman’s visit and I am so glad it was a success.

Terence Broxterman

December 17th, 2009
11:55 am

Neil and LSOS, to Neil: You’ve got a 7yr old new fan who can’t help but tell EVERYONE that she met “Neil”. You really made her day and made a devoted new fan. To LSOS, ya’ll ran things so well, we found out only that day that Neil would be in town…you were extremely accomodating to our “Johnny come lately” needs….and having a special exception for children because of school the next day was a masterstroke…thank you again to all of you

Melissa

December 17th, 2009
6:15 pm

To all of those insulted by the owner’s statements on indies vs. chains – B&N, Amazon and Borders would run us all out of town tomorrow if they could. Do you know what B&N has to do to get a major author to come to a store? Nothing. NOTHING. In fact, they often make it a condition of buying the author’s book that the particular author make B&N appearances on a given tour. (That B&N is not “bringing” Jasper Fforde to you; the publisher is sending him there because they are contractually obligated to do so, or because they promised in return for B&N buying a certain number of copies.) Do you know what an indie has to do to get a major author appearance? No, you do not, but I can assure you that nine times out of ten it involves begging of some sort. AND that if indies don’t manage to sell a decent number of books at an event, that publisher might not send them another author. That? Does not happen to chain stores.

Dave didn’t insult B&N’s hourly employees. This has nothing to do with you. You work for a giant faceless corporation bent on taking as much business away from small stores (and other chains) as it possibly can, and that’s an undeniable fact. Just because it’s prettier and smarter than Walmart doesn’t mean it’s not doing a similar kind of damage. When chains start paying the taxes that allow your community to thrive, then maybe indies will shut up about them. When chains no longer have most of the control over what’s published, then maybe indies will shut up about them.

LSOS knocked themselves over to win a contest and find a venue large enough so that a thousand people could see and meet Neil Gaiman. I think they can say pretty much anything they want about independent bookstores, and if you object to what they say, then you don’t need to go the next time they bring some kind of awesome event to town.

Indi bookstore owner & ASC alalumna

December 17th, 2009
7:04 pm

Melissa- You hit the nail on the head. Very well put and thank you.

Mel

December 20th, 2009
2:48 am

First of all the staff from Little Shop of Stories did a great job, as did the campus police as others have said. So thank you to both groups. And thank you to the college for giving up the space for the event.
I was one of the last to get a book signed and it was worth the wait. Mr. Gaiman truly does care about his fans and it shows. If ever I get a chance to see him again somewhere I will not hesitate to do so.
It was enough to get my book signed and to say hello and thank you to one of my favorite authors. All in all a very nice night.

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